System for measuring liquids



Oct. 15, 1940. c. J. BAssLER 2,217,855

SYSTEM FOR MEASURING LIQUIDs Filed Jan. 2G. 1937 lIVSheeizs-Sheel: 1

l f z INVENTOR.

, ,co0 ATToRN Oct. l5, 1940.l l

C, J. BASSLER SYSTEM FORMEASUR-ING LIQUIDS Filed Jan. 26, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. -ffls [aSSf ATTORNEY Oct. l5, 1940. c. .1. BAssLr-:R 2,217,855.

SYSTEM Fon MEASURING LIQUID'S Filed Jan. 26, 193'? 4 sheets-snee; 4

as faz Fg 76 z I LZ INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY Patented bei. 15, -1940 UNITED! STATESl PATENT vOFFICE s rs'rEM Fon MEASURING LIQUIDS Y Carlos .77. Bassler, Alhambra, Calif., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Bank of America N ational Trust and Savings Association Application January 26, 103.7, Serial No. 122,445

` s claims. (ci. 'z3-21) The metering of fluids produced by oil wells involves more than merely measuring by volume, for volume alone means little to the industry. Oil, like other liquids, changes its volume with changes in temperature and, unless this be taken into account, the true volume of the oil and hence its value is not known. Oil volumes are generally reckoned at 60 Fahrenheit and since this is the usual temperature at which metering values are determined, it is very desirous that meters totalize or indicate the measurement of the oil at 60 Fahrenheitvolumes. So many gallons or barrels of oil at 60 Fahrenheit, or anyother temperature, has a denite meaning to the industry, and, a meter which can automatically compensate for"temperatfure differences so as to avoid mathematics' and possible human error and time, would be of great value to the oil industry. This is true whether the liquids being measured are g from a flowing oil well or fromsome other source.

Oil from a well is' often accompanied by water.

. and volatile gases and even -solids comprising sand and crushed minerals and rock. Separators when employed under the usual working .conditions existing ata well, are not always effective in removing solids andforeign liquids and since in practice, such substances do pass through the meter or meters connected in the oil line, some means is necessarytodetermine what amount of the substance ow-ing through the meter is actually oil. Unless the amount of these foreign substances can be determined, the indicated volumes of the meter do not disclose the true amount of the oil passing through the llne'from the well to the receiving means.

Not only must the temperatureldiierences oi the oil be reckoned with and the solids and for;

eign liquids @strained in the Q11 but, also the gases Y entrained with the liquid' which have not been -eliminated at the separator. Such gases, if not to affect the accuracy of the meter reading must be held under a pressure wherebyit is kept inr small volumes under the iniluence,l force. and

characteristics oi the oil so as not to be of moment while the oil'is being measured. A sumcien't back .pressure `must be 'maintained from the separator to the meter to keep readily volatile fliquidsintheliquid state until theypass through the. meter. Whenever the separator .can be lo. cated 4at a level higher than the meter, sumcient liquid lhead pressure may be availablev t6 operatethe meterwithout any`-substantial drop of pressure which to a gas. K e .e

Methods and means to successfully accomplish would cause liquid to changel -oil metering system,

the desirable measurement of uids and avoid errors a'nd false reckoning because -of the con ditions set forth in the above paragraphs have been demonstrated in a practical manner by applicant and have met with the approval of many I in the il industry. I -In no sense is this invention to Ibe considered as limited to the measurementl ofo'il; for it is Within' the scope of this invention to/include the 'measuring of any liquid whether alone ormixed l0 gases accompanying the liquid to be measured in a manner that the presence of the gases will not afiectthe accuracy of the meter reading in liquid values. i

f 25 A still further object is to ascertain thetrue -measurement ot-liquids while compensating for).

volumetric differences due to the temperature of -the liquid and also to segregate specimens of the liquid vbeing measured to determine foreign mat-A 30 ters therein.

And a still further object of the invention isthe design of a system to arrive at the true measurement of liquidsregardless of their nature and characteristics. 35

And' L a still further object is to automatically maintain a. predetermined liquid assuring pres- I sure condition in a` pipe line containing a mix ture which includes 'a liquid, prior to metering the liquid.

- f 40 For purposes of illustration and ,disclosure of Y this inventionso that one skilled in theart can .make and operate same, drawings are presented with specications describing at least one form in which the invention can be practiced but, it is 45 understood, that this disclosure is not a limitingfactor except as limited by the depending claims.

Figure 1 shows the general combination of an parts of some of the elements 50 being broken away f or the sake of clarity;

Figure 2 shows an enlarged cross section of a safety valve to protect the measuring mea'ns from injury due to high pressures. Figure 3 shows a -longitudinal cross section of 55 'a :displacement typemeter used in the measuring system.

Figure 4 shows an end elevation oi the meter; the inlet pipe and associated elements being shown in section.

Figure5 shows an enlarged cross section of a sampling unit to remove specimens from a ilowing liquid in a pipe line.

Figure 6 shows a temperature compensating unit as mounted upon the piston oi the meter.

Figure 7 shows thetemperature compensator in elevation looking from diaphragm type mixture containing oil such, for instance, the

mixture from oil wells in certain localities which not only contain water but various gases and also solids, such as sand. The valve 2 controls the admission of such 3 where the' gas is permitted to escape at 4 from the mixture at a predetermined pressure through a pipe 4,the pressure usually depending upon the demands of the compressor of the gasoline plant supplied with this gas. The outlet 4 is controlled by a valve 4" whichl regulates the escape of the gas. Liquid outlets 5 and 6 of the separator (Figure 9) are connected with a pipe line 1 which leads to-a by-pass 8 and also to a line 9 leading into a vilnal gas eliminator lli. Manually controllable valves Il and I2 regulate the now of the mixture respectively to the eliminator I0 and the by-pass 3. A check valve 3' is provided in the by-pass 8 to prevent back iiow of the mixturebeing metered and, thus prevent its re-metering. Automatic valve 5' and manual valve 8' regulate ilow of the mixture from the separator to the pipe line 1.- Whenever it is found advantageous to use Just the hand valve to draw liquid from the separator, the valve 5 may be closed and the linkage connecting it with the float control disconnected.

An outlet i3 controlled by a valve I4 conducts the mixture from the gas eliminator Ill to a typical sediment trap I5 where much of the remaining solid aggregates are removed from the mixture. At this point, the mixture is usually liquid or nearly all' liqui'd except, when the mixture is from a well where there is a great deall oi agitation` in which event, much solids will be carried on through the meter. Also, liquid at this point may contain much water, which is not uncommon for wells in some oil districts.

The pipe I6 carries the mixture from the sediment trap through a valve l1 and then to a pipe T-connecr Il which permits the mixture to either enter pipe I3 or pipe 2l. The pipe I9 connects with a meter 22 through a spring regulation or check valve 2l and a diaphragm 24 having an orifice. The purpose of the check valve 2| and the orlce is to oiler sufi'icient resistance to the `mixture or liquid flowmg through the pipe I3 to force specimens of the mixture through a sampling device to be presently described. The valve 2l is a.'y typical regulation valve similar to a spring check valve having means for removing the spring and valve,

a mixture to a separatorV see Figure 4. The removal of these parts is advisable when the pressures are very high for the reason that the orifice would then be used and the valve parts of no use and therefore, not desired in the flow line. The orifice is oi such size that it will assure some iiow oi fluid through the sampling device when used at high velocities. The diaphragm may, however, be allowed in series with the regulation valve when the system is operating at a relatively low pressure. Regulation valves, like 2|, in large sizes are very expensive, hence the object in substituting a relatively inexpensive means, such as a diaphragm containing an orifice. 4

The pipe 20, safety valve or spring check valve 23, pipe 25, flexible coupling 20, valve 21 and pipe 28 form a by-pass around the meter to protect the meter from dangerously high pressure fluids. The flexible coupling 26 serving to protect the meter from mechanical strains which may be set up in the parts connected to the meter. Unless such a coupling be placed in the oy-pass around a meter, expansion in the byor seriously interfere with its operation. A connector 29 is provided to Join the meter by-pass, the outlet of the meter and, two parallel pipe lines 30 and 3|; each parallel line having hand control valves 32 and 33 and automatic valves 34 and 35, respectively, to be presently described. The parallel lines are connected to a single pipe line 36 which in turn is connected with the bypass 8 at 31. The line 33, which may be the yard line or a manifold line connected to other metering units, carries the mixture to its place of delivery which is generally a yard storage tank where it is kept until sold or otherwise disposed of.

The automatic valves 34 and 35 are connected in parallel so that either one may be used, depending upon the pressure of the mixture in line 1; it being preferable to use the valve 34 on low pressures. The function of these valves is to cause a sumcient back pressure on the meter line to prevent vaporization of any of the liquids present in the mixture, so that the meter reading will represent true amounts o! liquid.

The valve 34 and its means of operation are shown in detail in Figure 9. The valve 34 has an inlet 39 leading to a chamber 40 which has two valves'controlled outlets 4I and 42. The valve outlets connect into a common chamber 43 leading to an outlet 44. The valve outlets 4l and 42 are closed byv valve heads 4l and 4l. respectively, mounted upon a common valve stem 43 which is reciprocable through a packing element 41. The valve stem 48 is pivoted at 4l to a horizontal rod 5l which in turn is pivoted at ll to a bracket l2. The bracket l2 is supported upon the valve casing. One end o! the rod 50 is provided with an adjustable counter weight I3 and the other end with a pin I4 operable in a slot l! of. a flattened section I. connected to a rod I1 through a turn buckle il. The rod 51 is pivoted at il to a float arm extension B5 operated by the float il in the separator 3. The arm 60 is pivoted at 82 so that the vertical movement oi' the float .l will cause A stuffing bo'x 64 is provided on the outer side of the tank 3 to receive the arm 60 which passes through the slot 63. The arm 60 is iixed to a spindle 62 in the stuiilng box andpasses through a packing gland to receive the rod 65 which is xed thereto. This arrangement forces the rod 65 to rock with the oat arm 60.V Gas outlet l and liquid outlet 5 are controlled automatically by the movement of the arm 60. Rod 81, pivoted at 68 to the arm 65 is pivotally connected to rods 69 and 10 which control the openings in being conducted to the meter.

valves 4 and 5' respectively. Whenever sutilcient oil mixture is admitted into the separator 3 by opening the valve 2 of the pipe line I, the mixture will rise in'theA separator and raise the oat 6I to press the rod 51 downwardly. The downward motion of the rod 51, however, will not act to open the valves 4| and 62 until an elapse of a predetermined p eriod depending upon the length of the slot 55. Whenever the top wall of slot 55 presses downwardly upon the pin 54 the valves 4| and 42 will open. But before this occurs, however, valve 4" will approach a closed position and the valve 5 an opened position. The purpose of this is to prevent escape of gas from the mixture when about to 4be drawn from the separator, and thus, maintain a high pressure in the separator while the oil mixture is The valves 4| and 92 are not opened to operate the meter until valve 0 is closed and valve 5' fully opened. This delayed action of the valves 4| and E2 assures the mixture reaching the meter without any appreciable drop in pressure to turn liquid into vapor. However, such a control over the valve 5' is not always a necessity. Thus the provision of a second opening 6 controlled by a hand valve 6' so that the mixture can be sent into the line 1 without passing through the valve 5'. The separator is provided with the usual .dome top il and purging valve 12.

In practice, it has been found to be an advantage to employ a i'loat operated valve like y 30 when working with low pressure mixtures, in

which event, the separator is situated at a sufficient elevation above the meter and valve to maintain a constant liquid head in the pipe line 1 in order to avoid forming gases. But, howi ever, when higher pressure liquids are to be dealt with, it has been advantageous to employ a valve of the type shown at 35 and shown in detail in Figure 11, which will now be described.

The valve 35 comprises inlet and outlet chambers 19 and 1/3 respectively with valves 15 and 16 mounted upon a common stem 11 urged upwardly by a spring 18 to close the valves 15 and 125. A flexible diaphragm i12-is operable when pressure is applied above it through a pipe 83 tc urge the valves 15 and 15 to an opened position. A screw 19 threaded in wall 80 is adjustable by turn buckles! to change the tension upon spring 18 so as to cause the valves to open at some predetermined pressure upon diaphragm $32. The pipe 93 is connected to the pipe line l at 09 so `as to transmit pressure from that point. The spring 18 is, therefore, adjustable to permit the opening of valves 15 and 16 upon a predetermined pressure in the pipe line 1. The purpose is that the mixture is not to be permitted to flow through the meter until a certain predetermined'pressure exists in the pipe line 'I so as to prevent vaporization of the liquids in the mixture.

The gas eliminator I0 is provided to permit 90, tension on ton |01 reciprocates in the chamber |00 the escape of any free gases which may be entrained in the in line 1. To baille Wall 85 liquid flowing with the mixture permit the escape of this gas, the is provided to give the mixture a 'longer period of ilow and time for the free entrained gases to separate from the mixture and rise to the top of the eliminator l0. Whenever there is suicient liquid in the eliminator I0 to raise the float 86, the valve 81 (see Figure 10) through operation ofiioat arm 89 is closed to prevent liquid escaping to the pipe line 86. However, When the liquid level is at a predetermined and relatively low level, the float will drop permitting the escape of the free gases through the pipe line 88 to the low side of the system in the pipe38.-A A regulation valve 90 is provided in the tube 88 to prevent the escape of accumulated gas in l0 unless the pressure is of a suiilcient order to prevent appreciable evaporation of the liquid owing through the eliminator. 'Ihe tube 88 is provided with a hand valve 9| to close .the flow. of gas through the tube. A valve 92A is provided to allow escape of the gas to the separator 3 or, to the atmosphere whenever found desirable.

To prevent injury'to the meter and its associated parts due to extreme pressure, the bypass comprising pipes 20, 25 and 28 is provided. The passage of uids through the by-pass being determined by the spring loaded pop-valve or check valve 23 as shown in detail in Figure 2. The check valve comprises the valve opening 93 urged in closed position by anadjustable spring the spring being controlled by the screw 95. This valve will be set to open only at pressures which are apt to damage the meter and, will force the high pressure mixture to flow around the meter and on through the bypass to the low side of the check valve 8. A

flexible coupling 26 is inserted in the by-pass topermit distortion of the by-pass line without causing injury to the meter and its connected parts.

The meter section shown in Figure 3 is substantially the same as applicants meter shown in Patent #1,905,549 issued April 25, 1933, and Patent #1,886,364 granted November 8, 1932. It comprises inner and outer concentric casings 96 and 91 respectively, spaced from one another to provide passages 98 and 99 for the ow of the mixture to and from the meter chamber |00. Removable end plates |0I and |02 being provided to close the chamber and completely house the internal parts of the meter. Inlet ports |03 and |03 and outlet ports |04 and |04' are controlled by shiftable valve elements |05 and |06. A pisby the force of the flowing mixture through the chamber |00 and freely slides upon the guide rod |08 which is xed to the valve elements |05 and |06. Adjustable stops |09 and |I0 are iixed on the guide rod and are forced toward theends of the chamber |00 by the piston and, when forced toward an end of the chamber the stops force the valve elements |05 and |06 in a common direction to either open or close their respective ports |03, |00', |03 and |00.

In order to carry the piston |01 over a dead center or inactive valve positiornand assure reversal of the piston, an auxiliary piston and valve assembly is provided at l I I. In order to provide a housing for the auxiliary piston, the outer meter casing' 91 has a protruded hub-like portion H2 in which is a ported annular partition H3,

inner ported sleeve ||4. The sleeve |1|4' has two inlet ports `||5 and I|5 and outlet ports ||6 and ||6. The partition has inlet ports ||1 and II1' and outlet ports II8 and II8. The ports of the sleeve and partition are so arranged that ,one set of inlet and outlet ports on either side of a web I I9 will register so as to admit the mixture under pressure from passage 98 to one side of the web and release the mixture on the -other side of the web to be free to flow into the passage 99. This being necessary in order to move the web |,I9 in either direction and force the valves elements |05 and |06 iti either direction to carry them overrthe dead center. A shaft |20, threaded at its end is fixed to the center of the web ||9 by a lock nut |2|.l Pins |22 fixed to the webflt. loosely in the slotted ends of a cross-arm member |23. The member |23 is rigidly fixed to the shaft |20 so that it will turn with the shaft |20 and turn web ||9 so as to open and close the valved ports in partition II3. The other' end of the shaft is journalled or mounted in a. common coupler |24 which is fixed to an end of the guide rod |08 so that the rod |08 and shaft |20 translate together. A segment-gear |25 xed to shaft |20 slides. in a meshed relation with a segmentgear |26 which is fixed to a polygonal and spiral shaft |21 to be presently described. Through the rocking ofshaft |21-, gear |26 will turn the gear |25,l shaft |20 and sleeve to a limited degree andcause registration and unregistration of certain -p'orts in the sleeve and partition. A partition I3'` divides the auxiliary piston chamber from the metering chamber |00.

A bushingv |20 in the web |29 of the piston .is internally grooved tojt and slide along the spiral shaft |21 and'turn-itso as to operate the sleeve valve ||I and, an indicating instrument |30 through a chain of gears notv shown. Indicating devices are well known and no attempt will be made here to 'describe any particular indicating device. d Such anindicating instrument; however, having a dial section where the number of volumetric units of mixture passed through the meter are totalized and readable.

To release excess liquid and prevent a liquid jamb from behind the piston |01 when on dead center at the left end of the meter of Figure 3, a small relief plunger |3| is employed. An adjustable resilient means |32 permits the plunger to move upon a predetermined pressure in chamber |00 and thus relieve the chamber |00 of sufcient pressure to permit the shaft |06 to freely enter said chamber and to completely open or .close said ports |03', |04' and |03 and' |04, respectively. A passage |33 conducts the mixture to the plunger to relieve pressure in chamber |00. A removableV cap |34 vmay be provided to gain access to the plunger chamber.

Open annular grooves |35 are provided in the casing 96 about the periphery of the valve elements |05 and |06. The purpose of these grooves is to equalize the mixture pressure about the valve surfaces and prevent binding and thus assure smooth and efficient operation of the meter. The valve surfaces |05 and |06 about theperimeter of the valve elements |05 and |06 are not continuous so as to fit closely against the cylinder wall 96 at all points. Portions of the perimeter are receded so as to reduce friction and also to permit oil to reach the grooves |35. The portions of the valve elements which do have sliding friction with the cylinder walls require lubrication and, it has b een found in practice advantageous to equalize the lubricant pressure about all surfaces of the valves where there is sliding friction so as to prevent binding and assure free operation.

` The meter is provided with feet |36 and a drain |31. The outlet of the meter is shown in dotted lines at |38. Heavy flanges |39, |40 and |4I join parts |42, |43 and |0| of the outer casing and are securely held together by numerous bolts |44.

A bracket |45 supports a shelf |46 which holds the indicator |30 in a position for easy access to a totalizing device beneath a cover |41. A sampler is mounted upon one end of the meter for periodically depositing samples of the mixture passing through the metering system. A detail explanation will nowbe made of the sampler as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

A plunger |5| reciprocates in the block |52 and a rod |53 extends to a predetermined position in the metering chamber |00' and is provided with an adjustable screw |54 threaded into a bore |55 of the rod, the screw being held in place by the lock nut |56. The screw may be extended or retracted to vary the position of contact with the web |29 of the piston.

The plunger |5| is provided with a vertical bore |51 which provides a fair size chamber to receive a charge of the mixture. The size of the chamber |51 will depend to lsome extent upon the substance being metered. The extension of the block |6| houses a coil spring |62 for urging the plunger inward toward the meter. A screw cap |63 is provided to close the open end of i |6|. The bore |51 opens into a tube |64 which leads to a jar |65 for deposit of the samples of themixture. The tube |64 passes through a packing gland |58 having a hard packing |59 and soft packing |59'. A spring |60 holding the hard packing onto the plunger surface. The jar is provided with a cap |66 screwed to the tube |64 andthe jar. A vent is provided in the cap at |61 to permit ready flow of the samples through tube |64. The bore |51 also opens into a passage |68 which is controlled by a vent valve |69. Hard packing |68 is held against 'the plunger surface to prevent leakage of fluid from a chamber |10 into the chamber |51. The packing is resiliently held close to the plunger surface by spring |69' which in turn is held compressed by gland element |69". A flanged collar |66" receives one end of the coiled spring and also provides a chamber for soft packing adjacent the hard packing |68.

Around the plunger- |5| is provided an annular chamber |10; This chamber being connected in the flow line comprising the tubes |1| and |12. Whenever the web of the piston |29 pushes the plunger |5| against the tension Aof the spring |62, the chamber |51 is placed in alignment with the annular chamber |10 to receive ready flow of the mixture from the annular chamber |10. When the piston starts on its return stroke, it releases the plunger |5|, the spring forcing the chamber |51 into alignment with passages |68 and |64. In this position, the mixture drops by gravity into the jar |65.

The tube |1| (Figure 4) enters the flow line of pipe I9 and is extended across the diameter of the pipe I9. The lower half of this part of the tube |1| being removed as shown at |13 so asvto form a pod-like opening to carry away samples from across the entire flow line I9 which results in the taking of a true cross-section sample of the mixture flowing in pipe I9. The other pipe |12 enters the metering chamber via of passage 98 and discharges the mixture therein to be recorded along with the main fiow of the mixture.

' uid in the chamber .the chamber |82 when said chamber is in an the iiuid,.the Ascrew |85 is removed before the A regulation or check valve 2| is provided in the main flow line I9 to provide a diiferential of pressure between pipe I 9 and the metering chamber. A suicient diierential pressurebeing maintained to assure a free flow of the mixture through the sampler |50. The vcheck or pressure diiferential valve 2| is of the usual construction having the valve I 15 and spring |16 which is compressed by a cap |14.4 'I'he spring |16 being held at such a compression to give the desired pressure differential for the operation of the sampler. 'I'he spring and valve are readily removable. The spring may be substituted by any other size spring should a greater or lesser pressure diiferential be desirable.

An oriii'ce disc 24 is `shown in series with the regulation or check valve 2|. The orifice is of a large size for use with high vVelocity mixtures and will not interfere with the operationof the check valve which is used only on relatively low velocities.

The temperature compensating device |80 shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 comprises a thermostat |8| which is composed of a block having a chamber |82 closed by a cap |83. The'cap |83 being threaded so uprightposition, so that it can be completely lled before the cap |83 is screwed down. A vent |88 is provided in the cap and is closed by a screw |85. When the chamber |82 is loaded with is generally the oil being measured; this has been found the most satisfactory and expedient means in practice. When it is certain that the chamber is completely filled with the fluid, the screw I 85 is screwed into the vent. vAt lthe other end of the thermostat is a plunger |86 which ,reciprocates in a bore |81 of the thermostat block. The bore being enlarged at |81' to permit of the usual packing and gland members to prevent escape of the oil from the chamber |82. An annular angelike bracket |88 is provided to hold the thermostat on to the web of the piston |29. 'I'he plunger |88 is fixed to a rack |89 which is meshed to a pinion gear |90 which, in turn, is |9| having one end journalled inthe housing |92 and a section near the other end journalled in |99 for a purpose to be presently disclosed.

At the outer extreme ends of the thermostat and rack assembly are provided cross arms |95 and |95'. Springs |96 connect the ends of the retracted and,-through the pinion gear |90 place radial arms |93 in a position shown in Figuref The stops |09 and 0 upon the shaft |08 are mitere'd or tapered as shown at 91 to receive the tapered surface |94 of the radial arms. A

which is slidable in the stop slot |99. The screw head is counter-sunk in the slot mixture thereto. The

200 of the stop. An adjustable screw 20| pivotally attached to bolt |98 is threaded-in the stop |09 and may be turned so as to move the stop axially along the shaft |08. 'I'he purpose of moving the stop |09 is to set it at the proper point so that the valves will open and close at the proper time, this feature providing a micro-adjustment. The purpose of the tapered surfaces |94 and |91 is to vary the amount of the piston displacement in the cylinder |00. The amount of displacement depending upon the temperature of the 'mixture being measured, andthe position of the mitered surfaces |94 and |91. It can be seen, therefore,

l that the position of the sliding surfaces, |94 and |91 will depend upon the temperature of the iluid in chamber |82 of the thermostat which in turn will depend upon the temperature of the oil mixture being measured.

Operation A mixture containing oil, gases, and possibly sand, conditions often encountered in some oil wells in certain districts, enters pipe I of the float 6| is down, valve 4 open and 5 closed.

-Free gas from the mixture flows through the opening 4 into a pipe 4 which conducts the gas top `.place for temporary the separator, the iioat gradually close the valve 4" and gradually open the valve5 to allow the mixture to pass through the pipe 1. The mixture in pipe 1 flows to a T-connector 1' where the mixture may flow through either the main by-pass 8 or a pipe 9 intoa final gas eliminator, depending the valve open, permitting the mixture to ow into the gas eliminator and overflow the partirise and raise the cape through the outlet pipe 88 and into the low side of the system to pipe 38 providing the pressure is great enough to open the check valve 90. So as not to cause vaporization of the liquid and create any additional gases, the valve 90 is set so as not to open unless a liquid sustaining pressure exists in the gas eliminator. The valve 90 also serves to prevent possible generated high pressures in the pipe 38 from backing into the gas eliminator and possibly returning metered valve 92, however, may be used to pass the gas to the atmosphere by closing the valve 9|, if desirable. The purpose of closing the valve 81 upon a high level of the mixture in the eliminator isto prevent the escape of liquid around the meter.

From the eliminator, assuming valves |4 and I1 to be opened, the mixture will pass into the sediment trap I5 where solids may be deposited and then, ow on to the T-connector I8 where the mixture may pass through either pipes 20, 25 and 28 should the pressure be too high to be safely The pipe 4 generally.

` arm |93 engages the stop carried by the meter, or, if the pressure is of an order that the mixture can safely be passed through the meter, the check or safety valve 23 will remain closed, and the mixture will pass into 4 the meter to displace the piston |01.

The mixture will enter the manifold passage of the meter and pass through the opening |03' and by its pressure, force the piston |01 toward the right as shown in Figure 3.

The piston will move until the boss of the radial |00. 'I'his translation "ff the piston |01 will, by virtue of the bushing |28, turn the spiral shaft |21 which, in turn, willrock the gears |20 and |25 to open valve-port I0 to permit the mixture to enter the chamber to the left of the web ||9 and force the web H9, shaft |20 and guide rod |00 to'the right. The mixture-pressure will, therefore, urge the pistons |01 and in the same direction, to the right as shown in Figure 3, and their combined effort will be of sufficient order to readily switch the valve elements and |00 to the right and reverse the operation of the meter. This combined effort takes place when the piston |01 pushes the stop |09 toward the right with the aid of the piston which is, at the same time, urged toward the right by the fluid pressure to the left of web ||9. Shafts |00 and |20 are coupled together, therefore, movement of either the stops or the web ||0 must shift both shafts together as a single element. ,The coupling or socket |24 permits the two shafts to relatively turn in respect to each other upon their axes to a limited degree. When opening ||5 registers to permit entry of the mixture to one side of web ||9, valve port I0' will be opened to permit mixture to the right of web I0 to pass out of its chamber and into the outlet manifold 99 and thence to the T-connector 29 toward the yard line. The mixture-force applied against the web ||0 aids the force applied to the left of the piston web |29 to carry the valve elements |05 and |00 past their respective dead center positions so as to' close inlet valve |03' and outlet valve |00' and open valves |03 and |04 so as to allow the mixture to force the piston web |29 to the left. When this complete operation has taken place, the spiral shaft |21 has caused the indicating, in the instrument |30, of the volume necessary to displace the piston web |29 in its stroke from left to right. The volumes may be indicated in gallons or barrels.

Upon the opening of valves |03 and |04, the mixture will enter the chamber to the right of the web |29 and urge it to the left until the boss of the radial arm |93' engages the stop ||0. At this-point, the web ||9 of the auxiliary piston had been rotated sufilcient to open the valves I5 and |0 so that the mixture-pressure in the chamber to the right of the web ||9 will aid the pressure to the right oi' the web |29 and together, their combined pressure will urge the stop ||0 to the left and force the closing of valves |03 and |04 and the opening of the valves |03' and |04 to cause reverse operation of the meter.

' The plunger |3| is provided to make room for the excess liquid to the left of the web |29 caused by the shaft' |00 when it is forced to the left end of the meter, in order to prevent a liquid jamb.

In order to indicate the volumes of the mixture as of a predetermined temperature, preferably 60 Fahrenheit, some of the oil to be measured vhas been placed in the thermostat chamber |02 while at a temperature of 60 F. and of a sufficient quantity to completelyiill the chamber. This oil will contract and expand in .direct vproporas shown in Figure 11.

tion to the contraction and expansion of the mixture being metered. Therefore, if the mixture being metered happens to be warmer than 60 Fahrenheit, the liquid in chamber |82 will expand forcing the plunger |00 and rack |09 to the right,

as shown in Figure 8, turning the gear |90 clockwise and likewise the radial arms |93 and |93. This will permit the piston web |29 to be further vdisplaced 'than it would have been had the radial arms remained as shown in Figure 8, the displacement being in direct proportion to the increase in volume of the liquid over its volume at 60 F., `the boss of the radial arm |93 riding downwardly upon the mitered surface |91 of the stops, as shown in Figure 6. In Figure 6, however, the maximum downward position of the arms |03 and |93 are shown.

Should the oil being measured be cooler than 60 F. the reverse action will take place as described above, making the stroke of the piston web |29 shorter instead of longer in direct proportion to the temperature difference between 60 F. and the temperature of the mixturebeing measured.

The check or regulatory valve 2| provided in the pipe |9 creates a differential of pressure be# tween the pressure in pipe I9 and the metering chamber for the purpose vof urging some of the mixture to pass through the sampling device |50. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, a continuous small stream of the mixture will flow through the tubing |1| into the sampler and out through the tubing |12 into the metering chamber. At every other stroke of the piston |01, the web |29 will engage the extension |54 of the sampler plunger |5|, forcingit to the left to aline the `chamber |51 with the ilow tubes |1|, |12.` When the piston starts toward the other end of the cylinder, spring |02 will force the plunger to its original position and aline the chamber |51 with the passages |00 and |64 andpermit the sample of the mixture to fall into the repository |05. Thel valve |09 is preferably open to permit atmospheric pressure above the mixture-sample to aid its fall into the depository. In the depository, the mixture will stratify, the solids comprising mostly sand will settle to the bottom and the water to the top with. the oil in between.

At low pressures it has been found to be more practical to employ the float control valve 34 with the delayed action feature caused by the slot 55. The purpose of the delayed action is to prevent the opening of the valve 34 until the mixture from the separator 3 has reached the meter in order to assure a liquid head pressure on the meter and hence the formation of very little gas in'the metering line. Of course, if the valve 34 is to be used, hand valve 33 must be closed and valve 32 open.

An opening 0 in the separator 3 is shown controlled by a hand valve 0' to permit the escape of liquid into the line 1 when it is desired to dispense with the automatically controlled valve 5. Upon the use of the opening 0, the rod 01 may be disconnected from the valve 5 without impairing the operation of the connected parts to I the float arm 00, particularly the operation of the gas escape valve 4".

At high pressures geous to employ the diaphragm type valve 35. This is especially true when it is desired to retain all of the oil.values in the liquid form. In the use of this valve, a tubing 03 transfers pressure from the pipe 1 to the top of the diaphragm 02 Pressure exerted upon it has been found advantathe diaphragm will push it downwardly against the compression of spring 18 and open valves' 'I5 and 16 to permit the flow of the mixture through the meter and into the pipe 36 which carries the mixture to the yard line 38. 'Ihis is assuming that valve 32 is closed and valve 33 is opened. By adjusting the element 19, the compression of the spring 18 may be varied so that the valves will not open until a certain predetermined prescant has invented a measuring system that is suitable for determining the true amount oi oil,

regardless of its condition, as it comes from an oil well.

I claim:

1. In a measuring system for liquid mixtures which may contain foreign substances, a common pipe line, including a gas separator, meter, and a back pressure valve connected in series in said common pipe line, a sampling mechanism, temperature compensating means in the meter to eiect the measuring of the liquids at a predetermined temperature, means extending from4 said sampling mechanism into the meter to receive power for operation' of the mchanismfmeans extending across and internally of the pipe line ahead of the back pressure valve and connected to said sampling mechanis'm, said last means and said mechanism taking intermittent and predetermined -quantities of the mixtures and depositing same in a receptacle, means connected to the back pressure valve to regulate its opening with respect to pressure conditions prevailingin the pipe line prior to' measurement of the liquid.

2. In a system for determining the amount of oil in a mixed fluid; a meter having an inlet passage and an outlet passage, an inlet duct connected to the inlet passage, a back-pressure device in the duct, a sampling means having an egress pipe connected lto the inlet meter and an ingress pipe connected to the inlet duct on the high pressure side of the device so that the back-pressure device will cause a part of the mixed iiuid in the inlet duct to flow directly through said pipes and sampling means.

3. A system for determining oil amounts in a iiuid including a meter having inlet and outlet passages, inlet and outlet ducts connected to said inlet and outlet passages respectively, a sampling device supported by and controlled by the meter, ingress and egress iow pipes connected with said device, the ingress pipe carrying iiuid from the inlet duct and the egress pipe carrying fluid to inlet passage of the meter, back-pressure means in the'inlet duct to cause iiow of some uid through the said ingress and egress pipes, said ingress pipe passing through a wall of the inlet cross-sections of the flowing uid through the means including abaliie extending interiorly of the pipe line to cause a representative portion of the cross-section of theliquid owing through said pipe line to enter said sampling mechanism, means connected with the mechanism extending into the meter to receive power therefrom and to periodically operate the mechanism and cause it to periodically force a charge of liquid into a depository, temperature compensating means in the meter to effect the measuringof the liquid at a predetermined temperature, means connected to the back pressure valve and to the pipe line on the high pressure side of the meter to regulate the opening of the valve with respect lto pressure conditions prevailing in the pipe line ahead of the meter.

5. A sampling device in combination with a meter for measuring liquids, a housing for enclosing the sampling device, a bore in said housing having a plunger for reciprocation therein,

i openings in said housing having connection with the bore, the first one of the openings having connection with an ingress pipe leading tothe liquid to be measured and the second one of the openings having connectionsv with an egress pipe to carry liquid from ing in the housing having connection with the bore and spaced from said other openings, the third opening having connection with a receptacle, a passage in said plunger adapted to connect said first and second openings and receive a charge of liquid therein, means to cause the plunger to move and ment with the third opening for delivery of the charge.- 1

6. The apparatus recited in claim including: an annular chamber recessed in said bore connecting the rst and second openings so that a continuous iiow of liquid can be maintained through the ingress and egress pipes.

7. In a system for measuring oil; a separator having a gas outlet and an oil outlet with a oat therein, a valve for said gas outlet and a valve for said oil outlet, said iioat having connection with said valves and arranged to open the oil outlet and close the gas outlet when the iioat is elevated and vice versa when the float is down, a meter, a back pressure valve, a pipe line connecting said oil outlet, meter and back pressure valve in series, said meter and back pressure valve being located at a level well below the separator so as head pressure upon the meter to avoid vaporization of the liquid,

with ythe back pressure valve for opening and closing it. a device coupled in said means for delaying the openingof the back pressure valve so that when the float is elevated, full opening of the oil outlet will occur before opening of the back pressure valve.

8. In a system for measuring liquids which may contain undesirable liquids and solids, a pipe line having one end connected to the liquids to be measured, and another end connected to means to receive the measured liquids, a meter, a, sampling mechanism and a back pressure Valve connected in said pipe line, said meter and mechanism being situated between the back pressure valve and the end of the line connected to the liquids to be measured, means in the meter to effect the measuring of the liquids at a predetermined temperature, power delivery means connected between the meter and mechanism for. operating it, scoop-like means crossing an interior portion oi the pipe line designed to receive a the housing, a third openplace the passage in alinerepresentative portion of the liquids and solids owing through the pipe line, duct means extending from the scoop-like means to the sampling mechanism, said last means and mecha- 5 nism taking intermittent and predetermined quantities of the liquids from the line and depositing same in a receptacle, means connected to the valve to regulate its opening in accordance to liquid conditions prevailing in the pipe line prior CARLOS J. BASSLER. 

